National Museum Of Korea Director Under Scrutiny Over Loaned Work

(MENAFN- USA Art News) The director of the National Museum of Korea, You Hong-june, is facing scrutiny after the institution removed an object from his private collection that was featured in a current exhibition, according to the South Korean English language newspaper Korea JoongAng Daily.

The piece, initially attributed to an independence activist, was later confirmed to be the work of a pro-Japanese collaborator. This incident has raised questions regarding You's influence on exhibition selections, particularly since he assumed office in 2025 and has since exhibited and donated other items from his collection.

The artwork at the center of the controversy was displayed in the exhibition“The Korean Table: Food, Nature, and Life,” which is on view through October 25. It was presented as a calligraphy by Park Won-geun ( 1912–50 ), described as an independence activist from North Chungcheong who resisted Japanese colonial rule from 1910–1945. A month after its inclusion, following external inquiries about its attribution, the museum withdrew the piece. Subsequent research verified that the work was actually by pro-Japanese collaborator Park Jung-yang, who had previously used the name Park Won-geun.

While the museum issued an apology for the error, it initially withheld the owner's identity and details of how the piece entered the exhibition. You, however, later admitted to lending the work from his personal collection. He denied that the loan was intended to inflate the value of his collection's items.“I did lend the piece from my private collection,” he told JoongAng Ilbo.“I also believed the calligraphy was the work of an independence activist.”

This admission has prompted calls for revisions to the museum's verification protocols. A senior figure within the museum community, who spoke anonymously to JoongAng Ilbo, stated,“A national museum should apply the strictest standards when selecting exhibits, yet it is deeply concerning that works owned or recommended by the director may bypass rigorous curatorial review.” The individual added that,“Museum staff must seriously reflect on their responsibility to the public and the museum's role as a public institution.”

Source: ARTnews

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